Pay It Forward: Picking up Trash

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Many people take a daily walk to get some exercise.

One Moline man is on a mission to leave his route better than how he finds it.

Five days a week, you will find Milt Johnson out on his morning walk.

"I think it might have started as an exercise thing, I think it is his walk. So I think one of those days it just bothered him" says Bishop.

Thats why she nominated him for the News 8/Ascentra Credit Union "Pay It Forward" program.

"Morning Milt, on behalf of Ascentra Credit Union and News 8 I would like to present to you 300 dollars to "Pay It Forward", I'm so proud of you" said Bishop during the award presentation.

For Milt... it is not just a walk.

Whistling while he works, he cleans up along the way.

"I've had 2 people tell me that they can tell where I start and where I stop" said Milt.

He will be 87 in January, his walks started nearly 25 year ago.

"I thought as long as I'm walking I might as well pick the stuff up because why walk by it."

So with his bright vest and sack in hand, he collects trash along his 2 mile route.

He picks up paper, lids, even a pair of glasses today.

One bag is for garbage, the other to recycle.

He does have his limits saying "I don't pick up cigarette butts, I'd never get home ."

"I think he needs a little recognition for the hard work and effort he puts in everyday with out expecting anything. You know he doesn't expect anything out of it and I thought it would be a nice surprise for him, he's a good man" says Bishop.

Milt has no plans to slow down.

"I had one guy over there tell me we ought to have more people like you doing this, I said no we need to educate the people not to throw the stuff out" says Milt.

Until then, he keeps going. Whistling, scouring the area for trash... and putting it where it belongs.